The Black Gryphon

Inexperience can be overcome, ignorance can be enlightened, but prejudice will destroy you.

You are human and mortal; we are the sum of our weak moments and our strong.

There are no excuses,” he said at last. “But there are reasons. Reasons why we are what we are. Reasons why we do not have to stay that way.

In his experience, true leaders seldom had or needed flamboyant titles.

Sympathy can be addictive and can kill strong men as surely as a diet of nothing but sugar.

Knowledge will always be the best weapon against tyrants.

No matter what tears were shed or what trials were faced, some things would stay the same. There would always be day and night, stars and sky, hope and rest. There would always be love, always compassion, and there would always be Skandranon. And forever, in the hearts of all the Clans, there would be Urtho—and for his memory, a moment of silence.

Inexperience can be overcome, ignorance be enlightened, but prejudice will destroy you.

By such little victories are wars and hearts won,

poison, a poison that works by touch. It makes everyone it touches sick, and it takes effort and energy to become well again.

I've always thought it was worse to see an animal in pain than a [person] injured. You can't explain to an animal that you are going to hurt it a little more now to make it feel better later. You can explain those things to a thinking creature, and chances are it will believe you and cooperate. And it has always been worse, for me, to see an animal die--especially one that is attached to you. They've come to think of you as a kind of god, and expect you to make everything better--and when you can't, it's shattering, to have to betray that trust, even though you can't avoid it.

No, General. Not necessarily what you thin you want. Your heart knows what you want, but often your head has some other idea. It is the task of the kesta'chern to ask your heart, and not your head, what you need and answer that need.

The reasons for bearing young should simply be love and respect for the incipient child, and for the world they will be born into. If it took more effort to produce a child than the exercise of a moment’s lust, perhaps there might be less misery in this world. Perhaps my gryphons will be happier creatures than their creator.

Too often have I seen human parents who were too young, too unstable, or otherwise unfit or unready for children produce child after doomed, mistreated child. I will have none of this for these, my gryphons. By watching them, and then training others what to watch for, I can discover which pairings are loving and stable, which would-be parents have the patience and understanding to be parents. And in this way, perhaps my creations will have a happier start in life than most of the humans around them. While I may not be an expert in such things, I have at least learned how to observe the actions of others, and experience may give me an edge in judging which couples are ready for little ones.- Those who desire children must not bring them into our dangerous world out of a wish for a replica of themselves, a creature to mold and control, a way to achieve what they could not, or the need for something that will offer unconditional love. For that, they must look elsewhere and most likely into themselves.

Make your motivations secret to the enemy, fool them into false planning, use their force against them, lead them onto harsh ground, hold true to the beliefs of your followers, and show them the ways they may become like you. Lead by example.

Why would you want to make them happy?” Amberdrake turned back to his little friend, and sat with a sad smile on his face. “Because they are bitter, unhappy people, and very little else makes them happy. They say what they do out of envy, for any number of reasons. It may be because I lead a more luxurious life than they, or at least they believe I do. It may be because there are many people who do call me friend, and those are all folk of great personal worth; a few of them are people that occupy high position and deservedly so. Perhaps it is because they cannot do what I can, and for some reason, this galls them. But they have so little else that gives them pleasure, I see no reason to deprive them of the few drops of enjoyment they can extract from heaping scorn and derision on me.” Gesten shook his head. “Drake, you’re crazy. But I already knew that. I’m getting some sleep; this is all too much for me. Good night.” “Good night, Gesten,” Amberdrake said